Restaurants in Boulder
Partly because Boulder is a young, hip community, the city has attracted a variety of small, with-it restaurants. At these chef-owned-and-operated establishments, innovative and often-changing cuisine is the rule. You’ll find a lot of California influences here, as well as a number of top-notch chefs doing their own thing.
A Boulder city ordinance prohibits smoking inside restaurants.
Inexpensive -- Try a slice of Boulder’s best New York–style pie at any Abo’s Pizza location: 1110 13th St. (tel. 303/443-3199), 1035 Pearl St. (tel. 303/443-1740), 2761 Iris Ave. (tel. 303/443-1921), and 637 S. Broadway (tel. 303/494-1274). Lucile’s, 2124 14th St. (tel. 303/442-4743), is a Boulder breakfast mainstay, serving beignets, buttermilk biscuits, and other morning delicacies that take inspiration from the Big Easy. Another Boulder tradition is Illegal Pete's, a burrito joint with locations at 1447 Pearl St. (tel. 303/440-3955) and on “The Hill” at 1320 College Ave. (tel. 303/444-3055).
Family-Friendly Restaurants
Sushi Zanmai -- Flashing knives and tableside cooking keep kids fully entertained.
Rio Grande -- The busy atmosphere is a great match for kids’ energy level and potential mood swings.
Espresso Bars & Coffeehouses
Espresso fans will have no problem finding a decent espresso, cappuccino, or latte: Boulder has a number of Starbucks establishments, as well as many more interesting independent coffeehouses. Many of the independents, located near the Pearl Street Mall, provide outdoor seating in nice weather. Attached to the Boulder Book Store, the Bookend Cafe, 1115 Pearl St. (tel. 303/440-6699), offers a variety of coffee drinks and a delightful array of baked goods, soups, and pies. Trident Booksellers & Café, 940 Pearl St. (tel. 303/443-3133), features indoor and outdoor seating as well as a comprehensive selection of used books. The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, 1770 13th St. (tel. 303/442-4993), offers an authentic Persian setting for quaffing more than 70 varieties of tea and a good selection of coffees from 8am to 10pm daily. Homemade baked goods are also available.
Bookstore
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11 Results
- New American
Black Cat
Eric Skokan started with a dinky little farm just outside town in 2007. Now he has 130 acres, with heirloom crops of all kinds, as well as chickens, pigs, turkeys, ducks, and sheep, and he even runs a community-supported agriculture program. It goes without saying that Skokan serves…$$$Downtown & Vicinity - International
Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
The only authentic Persian teahouse in the country, the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is a stunning work of architectural art, with soaring pillars, hand-painted paneling, and ornate craftsmanship around every turn. It makes sense: It was a gift from Boulder's sister city of Dushanbe,…$$Downtown & Vicinity - Brewpub
CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing Co.
Just the spot for a meal in beer-loving Fort Collins, CooperSmith's is something of a local institution, located in the heart of Old Town. Beer-wise, the brick-laden place has produced about different 150 beers since it opened in 1989. Food-wise, there are Pubside and Poolside…$$Fort Collins - New American
Flagstaff House Restaurant
There are many superlatives when it comes to describing the Flagstaff House. The mountainside location on the peak of the same name makes for the best views of any Boulder restaurant. Same goes for the wine cellar at 12,000 bottles—it wouldn't be a stretch to say it's the best in the…$$$South of Downtown - Italian
Frasca
Not only is slick, sociable Frasca one of the best reviewed restaurants in Boulder, it's one of the best-reviewed in the country, landing on all sorts of national lists since its opening in 2004.The fare is inspired by Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northeast Italy, and the name comes from…$$$Downtown & Vicinity - New American
Jay’s Bistro
Jay and Jacki Witlen have been Fort Collins' culinary pacesetters for more than 30 years. Serving creative spins on classic dishes like beef tournedos, pork chops, and stuffed quail, the kitchen starts with French influences but brings in ideas from all over the food map for such…$$Fort Collins - New American
OAK at fourteenth
Opening in December 2011 after a fire shut it down in its first incarnation (it was open for a short spell the year before), OAK is one of the best and most social eating spots in Boulder. Grab a table on one of the best people-watching patios on the Pearl Street Mall, or eat inside…$$$Downtown & Vicinity - New American
Salt
Located in the space formerly occupied by Boulder burger standby Tom's Tavern, Salt opened its doors in 2009 and has dazzled Boulder ever since. The emphasis is on fresh, local ingredients, with the kitchen plating up roasted beet salads, sweet pea ravioli, and saffron risotto with…$$Downtown & Vicinity - Tibetan/Nepalese
Sherpa’s
Owner Pemba Sherpa guided dozens of expeditions to the Himalayas, and completed countless feats of endurance. (Yes, he's an authentic sherpa who was born in Nepal.) With this in mind, it's hard to argue with his culinary vision. The fare takes Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian traditions…$Downtown & Vicinity - Sushi/Japanese
Sushi Zanmai
The staff greets you in unison, sings along to karaoke, and otherwise entertains patrons at this longstanding sushi joint near the Hotel Boulderado. But the zany antics of the employees are no distraction—the sushi rolls (many of which draw inspiration from the Rockies or Boulder's…$$Downtown & Vicinity - New American
The Kitchen
Kimbal Musk started PayPal with his brother Elon, then decided to go to culinary school and open a restaurant in Boulder. The results speak for themselves: Musk might be better working in a kitchen than he is at a tech startup. Since opening The Kitchen in 2004, he's opened an…$$$Downtown & Vicinity
